One of the main factors for the success of any initiative, organisation or project is related to the teams that operationalize it.

Below is the organizational chart of the Mangualde STEM Academy, after the pilot in 2018, as well as the various teams involved in the development of the project.

Coordination Team

The Coordination team decides on the strategic lines of the Mangualde STEM Academy and approves its plan of activities. It also decides on the school organization necessary for the development of the Academy's activity and the integration of partners, such as from the local business fabric, higher education institutions, as well as the hiring of staff, the target audience, the acquisition of technological resources essential to support new teaching methodologies, among other relevant aspects.

Pedagogical Innovation Team

It is believed that the constitution of the Pedagogical Innovation Team (EPI) represents a key factor for the vitality and sustainability of the Academy. This team was initially made up of two sub-teams: the STEM Educational Team (EE-STEM), made up of school teachers, and the Technical and Scientific Support Team (EATC).

Technical and Scientific Support Team

This team, which works with the school's internal team, has a postgraduate profile (master's or doctorate) in the area of education, especially in curriculum development, with skills in the use of educational technology, in the creation of innovative learning environments and the professional development of teachers. In addition, they demonstrate good communication skills, team spirit, project management and problem-solving skills. Thus, the EATC is made up of elements external to the school, with an office at the school's headquarters, which is essential to integrate into the school community and thus facilitate contact with EE-STEM and support for carrying out STEM activities.

STEM Educational Team

It is crucial that the EE-STEM elements have an adequate profile: they are used to developing teaching practices that are more student-focused, using technologies; they are receptive and have a spirit of openness to learning; they demonstrate collaborative skills; and they promote innovative curriculum development and, at the same time, they value interdisciplinary teaching, through the development of activities that integrate learning from different subjects, emphasising the formative assessment of students.

STEM Mentoring Team

The inclusion of new teachers in the EE-STEM made it necessary, in the second year of the project, to create the STEM Tutoring Team (ET-STEM), composed of teachers from the EE-STEM in the previous academic year. They support new colleagues in planning activities (already carried out or new) and in reflecting on them. It is important to point out that the tutorials aim to guarantee to new teachers a better appropriation and adequacy of the teaching and learning strategies that the developed STEM activities imply.

Partnerships

Collaborations

Academi@ STEM Mangualde also had the contributions of entities and individuals who collaborated in various initiatives, namely the Palácio dos Condes de Anadia (Mangualde), the Alcafache Termas, COOPBEI, GNR de Mangualde, Associação Atractor, Sci&Math Creative Lab of ESE/ IPSantarém, the EduPARK project team (University of Aveiro team), astronomer José Augusto Matos, biologist Rosa Pinho (University of Aveiro), Paulo Torcato (Coordinator of the ”aTTitude3D” project), Isabel Serra (EduFor Training Center), Ana Mouraz (Assistant Professor at Universidade Aberta) among others.